Beijing expressed its “strong displeasure” on Sunday after the United States shot down the Chinese balloon which had been flying over their soil for several days. China says it “reserves the right” to respond.
The climbing weekend between the Chine and the UNITED STATES continues. Beijing expressed its “strong displeasure” on Sunday after the United States shot down the Chinese balloon which had been flying over their soil for several days. China says it “reserves the right” to respond.
The operation carried out on Saturday by an F-22 fighter jet took place “over water off the coast of South Carolina, in American airspace”, the Minister of State said in a press release. US Defense, Lloyd Austin. He stressed that it was carried out in response to an “unacceptable violation” of American “sovereignty”.
Read alsoUS shot down Chinese ‘spy’ balloon
An “excessive” reaction from Washington according to Beijing
“China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protests against the use of force by the United States,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that it “reserved the right” to retaliate. Washington “clearly overreacted” and “seriously violated international practices”, continues the text.
The Pentagon says it was a spy balloon. The balloon “was used by the People’s Republic of China in an attempt to monitor strategic sites” in the United States, Lloyd Austin said.
A “success” for Biden
Joe Biden congratulated the pilots who carried out this delicate operation “successfully”. He said he had given the order on Wednesday to shoot down the balloon “as soon as possible”, but that the Pentagon wanted to wait “for the safest place to do so” in order to avoid any damage to the ground when the balloon fell. any debris. The move was also welcomed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Together (…) we will continue to protect and defend ourselves,” he said in a tweet on Saturday.
